2 pools fail to adhere to safety norms

Pune: After almost a month, out of seven swimming pools which were closed for being unsafe, two pools, one in Yerawada and another in Vishrantwadi have failed to fulfil safety norms as required by the corporation. However, Yerawada-based Keshavraj Vithoba Dhere swimming pool is operational and the civic body is unaware of it. The civic body owns all these pools and they are given to private players on a lease basis.

One of the senior officials of land acquisition department of the corporation said, “We have received a letter from five pools about fulfilling safety measurements and restarting the pool. Yerawada based pools- Dhere Swimming Pool and Parulekar Pool haven’t sent any letter about their intention of restarting the pools. So, these pools are still closed.”

When asked about one pool which is operating without proper safety norms, another official which has charge of that pool said, “I don’t know about that, I will have to check it.”

Kishor Shinde, contractor of Dhere pool said, “We have taken all safety measurement at the pool and I have given a letter to the corporation for allowing us to run. The official visited the pool and gave a green signal and so the pool was reopened.”

Against the background of death due to drowning which was reported at Taljai Swimming Pool in April, the PMC had conducted a safety audit of pools where they found that only four pools in the city were safe to swim. As per the report, out of total 31 pools owned by the civic body, only four are fully secure for swimming. So the corporation gave seven-day deadline to comply with the safety norms.

Now, it has been revealed that only five out of seven unsafe pools have completed their formalities and showed readiness to start the pools. The land acquisition department has tabled the report before additional municipal corporation seeking permission to restart the pools.

Anil Mulay, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Land Estate and Acquisition Department said, “Most of the contractors have compiled the safety measurements which the corporation pointed out in the safety audit.”

During safety audit, the officials checked if there is a buddy system, adherence to pool rules, awareness in general pool safety procedure, qualification of guards as lifesavers and the record of incidents maintained.